ALCHEMY Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

alchemy

noun

Definition of alchemy

as in occultism

the power to control natural forces through supernatural means … an alchemy that changed metals rarer than gold into elements more baneful than lead.—James Gleick

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science

as in magic

the power to do something impressive in a way that seems mysterious or supernatural They marveled at the digital alchemy that turns lines of computer code into a beautiful user interface.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of alchemy There’s the alchemy of my own internal process of imagination. — Bob Strauss, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026 The word drew on ideas from alchemy, where the agent was the active substance that spun gold from the mundane. — Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026 His family stared balefully at him, waiting for some alchemy to be performed by his hand, like those trips when he was somehow expected to navigate them through an unknown city. — Emma Cline, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026 Finding the right person is alchemy, and the logistics are important. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for alchemy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for alchemy

Noun

In one example, some teachers are let into the fictional realm of Agartha, which is a key setting in neo-Nazi occultism where everyone is white and blond.

— Owen Carry, Wired News, 11 Mar. 2026
The transformation of Tarocchi into a divinatory tool began in the late 18th century, driven by the rise of occultism in France.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026

Definition of occultism

Noun

In Conversation Marion Gibson traces the real story behind 17th-century England’s witchcraft panic.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
In the Middle Ages, Vocelle writes that cats become closely associated with witchcraft, which allowed for men to more widely abuse both women and the animals.

— Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of witchcraft

Noun

The specs are nearly identical year over year, which means the company is relying on its mathematical wizardry rather than advances in sensors and optics to derive results from its cameras.

— Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026
By some architectural wizardry of concrete and glass the pictures inside stand to attention, as if they, too, are suspended in time and space—a collection that faces in one direction, in orderly fashion, like the Terracotta Army.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2026

Definition of wizardry

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alcohol

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“Alchemy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alchemy. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of alchemy

noun

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